Process To Hire New Newington Police Chief Outlined

What will it take to be the new police chief in Newington? Council hears details.

NEWINGTON -- Town Manager John Salomone told the town council Tuesday that selecting a replacement for retiring Police Chief Richard C. Mulhall would take three to four months.

Salomone, who has sole authority to appoint the new chief, said that he would consider both internal and external candidates. He expected to select an interim chief within the next week or so to temporarily run the department after Mulhall steps down Dec. 26.

Candidates for the job have already contacted the town, Salomone said. He said he expects a strong pool of applicants.

"We have very capable individuals that have expressed interest in applying for the position," he said. "We are a very desirable town to be a chief. I don't want to say that we are the envy of other departments, but we are."

Salomone outlined his plans for filling the job after the council honored Mulhall, chief for 12 years, with a proclamation and words of praise from councilmen and the public.

Resident Gary Bolles recalled meeting Mulhall for the first time early in his tenure at a hearing on the need for a new police station. He called Mulhall "a people's person" and praised his stewardship of the department.

Mulhall, 63, thanked the council and residents and said it had been a pleasure to serve the town for a dozen years. He said he had been thinking about retirement for a year or two and recently decided that it was time.

"Newington has been a really special place to be," he said.

Salomone said he would recommend that the town hire a consultant to help sift through applications and also hold a public forum to seek input from citizens on the appointment.

Salomone said that the officer he selects for interim chief would likely not be interested in applying for the permanent position. That will relieve the interim chief of having to go though the selection process while running the department and squelch any perception that the decision is preordained, Salomone said.

The interim chief will almost certainly be one of the department's three lieutenants, Salomone said. They are Nicholas Miano, Michael Morgan and William Jameson.

Salomone said he is also planning a reorganization of the department, but would hold off until he appoints a new chief.